Biodegradable Guest Amenities
Check out the great new line of biodegradable product from Concept Amenities http://www.conceptamenities.com/
Products That Are Earth-and-Profit Friendly
Great article here in the New York Times about the hard choices companies make to be earth friendly and how it can actually improve profit and efficiency.
Our biodegradable cutlery and biodegradable utensils are earth friendly because they will biodegrade in a conventional landfill. They’re also profit friendly since they are very low cost to purchase and low cost to dispose of compared to other biodegradable cutlery and other biodegradable utensils.
EcoPure iPhone Case!
Another of the amazing uses for EcoPure. Now in a biodegradable iPhone case. Check it out. This is the same technology we’re using in our Transitions2earth cutlery. Our biodegradable cutlery will fully biodegrade in a landfill. That’s why we like to say, “Go ahead, throw it away!”
EcoPure Newsletter
We made the bigtime! We’re front page on the EcoPure April newsletter put out by Bio-Tec. We’re excited to get the recognition for our rapidly expanding product line.
Biodegradable Products – Understanding the Truth
Biodegradable products should be good for the environment, but that’s not always the case. What Is Biodegradable? To be classified as “biodegradable”, a product must be able to be broken down naturally into the raw materials of nature and disappear into the environment. Truly biodegradable products will break down into: -Bacteria -Fungi -Simple organisms -Carbon -Hydrogen -Oxygen – Carbon dioxide Co2 and water H2O Just because a product says its biodegradable, doesn’t mean it’s good for the environment. With no real guidelines available to aid consumers, many products may say they are biodegradable – and be technically telling the truth, since they’ll eventually break down into nature (say, in about 30 years) — but most consumers expect a product to be “green” when touted as biodegradable. Being Biodegradable Isn’t Always Safe. Many biodegradable may break down in a reasonable amount of time (weeks or months), only to become hazardous to animals, humans and plant life afterwards. Take nonylphenolethoxylate (NDE), for example, an active ingredient found in many of today’s cleaning supplies. Made solely of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, it should be completely biodegradable and safe for the environment. Yet, it isn’t. Once broken down, it becomes a dangerous benzene ring that is hazardous to women, damaging their reproductive organs. How Long It Takes Is Another Factor. Another concern is how long it takes a product to break down into the environment. A piece of bread, for example, is completely biodegradable, and can break its complex sugars into simple ones within days, compared to paper, another completely biodegradable product which can take up to 5 months to degrade, even under perfect circumstances. Another problem: our disposal procedures. When put into a natural compost pile, table scraps will degrade rather quickly. Left compacted amidst tons of garbage in a landfill, it can take years to break down. Researchers have found 25-year old apple cores and newspapers in near perfect condition, found in landfills with garbage from thousands of other households. Finding ways to better dispose of biodegradable materials will help in the breakdown process, making it quicker, easier and safer. How long does it take for many so-called “natural” products to return to a natural state: -Paper: 2-5 weeks -Banana peel: 3-5 weeks -Orange peels: 6 months -Cotton rags 1-5 months -Cigarette butts: 1-12 years -Plastic or cardboard milk carton: 5 years Returning To Nature. Any product that comes from nature ‘ plants, animals, and minerals — will eventually return to nature, given enough time and the right circumstances. But man-made petrochemical products cannot. There simply aren’t any microorganisms found in nature that can break them down, leaving them to litter the earth for centuries to come.
Degradable, Compostable, and Biodegradable Plastics
The State of California has recognized the impacts of plastics on the environment, including compostable, degradable, and biodegradable plastics. To address this, the California Legislature declares that it is California’s public policy that environmental marketing claims, whether explicit or implied, should be substantiated by competent and reliable evidence to prevent deceiving or misleading consumers about environmental impact of degradable, compostable, and biodegradable plastic bags, food service ware, and packaging. The Legislature also recognizes how important it is for consumers to have accurate and useful information about the environmental impact of compostable, degradable, and biodegradable plastics and any environmental marketing claims. It further recognizes that these plastics should meet the criteria to uniform and recognized standards, including those established by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) (Public Resources Code (PRC) sections 42355-42357 and 42359-42359.6).
The Board is concerned with how plastics impact the environment and the effects plastic have on California’s landfills. To assist consumers of the State of California, the Board has identified resources that can help address marketing claims of plastics labeled degradable, compostable, and/or biodegradable. In addition to identifying resources that can help address marketing claims, the Board has sponsored studies to review degradable and compostable products and their performance in different environments.
Public Concerns and Product Labeling
Any consumer with questions about labeling of plastics as compostable, degradable, and/or biodegradable should first contact the manufacturer or distributor. The manufacturer or distributor should have information available to address the concern. If the manufacturer or distributor is not able to address the concern, or if inconsistencies are identified regarding the plastic bags, packaging, or food service products labeled as compostable, degradable, and/or biodegradable, resources on our Public Concerns and Product Labeling page may be of assistance.
Studies: Degradable and Compostable Plastics
Recognizing the impacts plastics have on the environment and the effect plastics have on California landfills, studies to evaluate several aspects of plastic have been conducted in California. These studies have included the performance of degradable and compostable plastics in the environment.
What is Biodegradability?
Has everyone else felt the “chill” of the Greenwashing statements that the FTC are cracking down on? We welcome it! “Organic”, “All Natural”, “Free Range” – other terms that feed on consumers emotions to want to do the right thing, but have little true meaning and especially guidelines by which these claims can be made!
“Green” and “Biodegradable” are hip. But let’s look at some truths – 95% of ALL disposable cutlery ends up in landfills. Biodegradability is based on where a product ends up. PLA is compostable yes – but the conditions are highly suspect under which they will degrade. Plus fundamentally there are very few industrial composting facilities in the US and more and more they are turning cutlery of any kind away. Why? The vast majority of consumers and users of plastic cutlery do what with it when they are done? They throw it away. Exactly where our cutlery biodegrades. If they don’t throw it away and are trying to be conscientious it likely ends up in the compostable bin. The problem is that just by looking at it most people can not tell which is which and non-compostable cutlery in the composting ruins entire batches. The flip side – if compostable cutlery ends up in a landfill it might as well be plastic because in 1000 years it will still be around too.
For Transitions2earth and the question that biodegradability requires oxygen. Not true – under the vast majority of circumstances, yes, but not always. There are 2 forms of biodegrading conditions. Aerobic and anaerobic. Anaerobic is the condition with no or little oxygen which is the condition you find in landfills. But has microbes that feed on our EcoPure additive. In very simple terms EcoPure is sugar – microbes dine away at the sugar which on a molecular level breaks the poly chain and allows the plastic to degrade. In 3-5 years 100% of our cutlery is reduced to 2 forms – biomass (dirt) and methane, which landfills are required to control and maintain.
Overall our product has lower production impact on the planet and based on real world conditions will leave no negative impact on the planet over time. And they actually perform at the standards people are used to – we like to say “no compromise”.
I hope that helps a bit. Please check out our line of 100% biodegradable cutlery, biodegradable forks, knives, and spoons PLUS out biodegradable serving ware including salad tongs, large and small tongs, and serving forks and spoons.
Global Biodegradable Polymers Market Positioned to Grow 13% a Year
MENLO PARK, Calif. – (Business Wire) Despite the recent global economic slowdown, the global biodegradable polymers market grew stronger and doubled its market size from 2005-2009. This market is positioned to grow 13% annually between 2009 and 2014. Today, SRI Consulting (SRIC) released its global Biodegradable Polymers report that provides the most comprehensive and timely information on the worldwide biodegradable polymers industry.
Europe accounts for about half of total consumption. Double digit annual growth is expected in Europe, North America and Asia in the next several years. A major driver in the use of biodegradable polymers will be the food packaging, dishes and cutlery market segments. Legislation and improved cost competitiveness will have an effect on growth, as will consumer concerns over reducing landfills, fossil fuel independence, reduction of green house gas emissions and pressure for environmentally friendly products.
Overall, the biodegradable polymers industry might develop even faster than expected. Lead author and Consultant Michael Malveda commented, “Future legislation enacted will have a major impact as to how widely these polymers are used.” Mr. Malveda continued, “Likewise, prices of petroleum-based alternatives and the economy’s recovery will help shape the industry’s future.”
SRI Consulting’s Biodegradable Polymers report provides current and comprehensive information on this global industry, including trends, supply and demand, and analysis of the competitive environment.
For additional information about the report, please contact Koon-Ling Ring, Director of the Chemical Economics Program at kring@sriconsulting.com or +1-650-384-4359, or visit the website at www.sriconsulting.com/CEH.
Read more: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/global-biodegradable-polymers-market-positioned-to-grow-13-a-year,1152470.shtml#ixzz0f6bbWqCq
The Truth About Biodegradable Plastics
The Truth About Biodegradable Plastics
The Truth About Biodegradable Plastics
Author: Max Clark
Plastic has become an important aspect in our lives, can you imagine what kind of care you would get in a hospital if we didn’t have plastic? Some historians are saying that this age will be known as the plastic age. The next time you go to the store take a look around and see if you can find products that don’t have plastic. As important as plastic is to our lives it has also demonstrated some negative side effects and there isn’t any one perfect answer for solving plastic pollution.
Here in the U.S. recycling rates for plastic is less than 30 percent which means a lot of plastic is ending up in a landfill. Many other countries do a much better job of recycling then we do here in the U.S., and our recycling rate isn’t going to improve until the recycling industry develops markets for recycled materials.
Many companies are trying to do something about plastic pollution and are developing more environmentally friendly plastics. There are basically three types of plastics which are considered to be more environmentally friendly which are: Compostable, Degradable and Biodegradable plastics.
Compostable plastics are commonly called Polylactic Acid (PLA) are made from plants. Here is the U.S. most PLA is made from corn. PLA is compostable but must be processed by a commercial composting facility. There aren’t many commercial composting facilities so most PLA will end up in a garbage dump. PLA doesn’t biodegrade quickly so once it finds its way into a landfill it will remain there for a long time.
Degradable plastics degrade through photo degradation and oxygen degradation isn’t biodegradable plastic, they are degradable plastics. Degradable plastic breaks down (degrades) into smaller and smaller pieces until they are too small to see. The plastic doesn’t biodegrade; it just gets too small to see.
The third type of plastic is a truly biodegradable plastic, and will biodegrade leaving behind biogases and humus. A recently introduced biodegradable plastic is the ENSO biodegradable plastic bottle with EcoPure. The ENSO plastic bottle is standard Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic with EcoPure G2 additive. When placed in a microbial environment, the ENSO bottle will attract microbes which consume plastic in either an anaerobic (no oxygen) or aerobic (with oxygen) environment.
There isn’t any one perfect answer that will solve plastic pollution. However, we are working toward a solution that will help.
Max
“Bottles for a Healthier Earth”
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/the-truth-about-biodegradable-plastics-1809945.html
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